


Of Light[ning]

by WhyDontWeBegin



Series: Of Light[ning] and Shadow [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Amaurot (Final Fantasy XIV), Amaurotine Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Emotional Hurt, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Heavy Angst, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Multi, OT3, Patch 5.0: Shadowbringers Spoilers, Polyamory, Prank Wars, Spoilers, and the best of them, no beta we die like men, they're gremlins at the worst of times
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:15:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21574327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhyDontWeBegin/pseuds/WhyDontWeBegin
Summary: Amaurot is probably not quite equipped to handle a very specific troublesome trio and their nigh-endless nonsense.
Relationships: Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Hythlodaeus, Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Hythlodaeus/Warrior of Light, Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light
Series: Of Light[ning] and Shadow [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1554742
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> yeah so this is just self-indulgence at it's finest. I will die with this ot3 of gremlins

He was in the midst of a conversation with Elidibus when he felt it. The gentlest brush, but he stood up straight, pausing mid-sentence. Elidibus opened his mouth to say something, probably ask if he was alright, before he felt his face break out into a wide grin unbidden. “She is returned,” he said after a moment. “Unharmed.”

His aether had met hers halfway, mingling. She was on her way to the Capitol now. Elidibus paused, evidently taken aback by the sudden revelation. “You’re certain, Emet-Selch?”

“With her? _Always_ ,” he breathed, absolutely giddy.

—

“Athena! Or should I-“

“Hythlodaeus, I will _absolutely_ strangle you if you even _try_. You know there are no titles between us,” Athena laughed, breathless. Of course he knew, Hythlodaeus had probably been watching for her return all day. She wrapped him in a hug, smiling at how he chuckled before returning it. She could feel Hades’ approach at the edge of her mind, full aware he was absolutely about to scold her for damaging her robes.

“You’re a mess, Athena. Emet-Selch is going to have a fit. Are you alright?” Hythlodaeus may have worn a mask but it did not hide his concern at all, holding her by her shoulders and taking in her ruffled appearance. Her usually pristine robe had several cuts and was stained with mud, though washed out- she must’ve stopped at a river and attempted to clean it.

“Perfectly fine, ‘Daeus,” Athena assured softly. The doors of the Capitol burst open and Emet-Selch- Hades- was upon them. As predicted, he was having an absolute _fit_ over her appearance, though he knew full well she was unharmed.

“Athena, you should’ve-“

“No, Hades,” she chided gently. “I’m not a child, you’ve no need to worry so.”

“I will worry if I damn well want to!”

Athena and Hythlodaeus shared an amused look, even with their masks, aether mingling together. He was still worried, still sought assurance that she was alright in the same way Hades had done. It touched her that they cared so. (Then again, Athena was full aware how reckless she was, and the both of them had been shaken to the core once when she nearly got killed. It’d taken her a moon to get them to stop hovering- she hardly needed an escort at all times.)

She chanced to look up and noticed Elidibus, Lahabrea, and Loghrif hovering at the entrance to the Capitol, and offered a small wave and sheepish grin as Hades fixed her robe, effectively hiding the clothes she wore underneath completely. She was fine with that- though Athena was no fan of hiding her true self, it meant there was something to be said about the fact that Hades and Hythlodaeus had seen it. Seen her as she _really_ was instead of the mild-mannered woman Amaurot knew.

“Do we even _want_ to know what you look like underneath your robe, Athena?”

“Probably not,” she said flippantly, waving a hand idly. “I can fix it myself, though.”

Hades heaved a sigh and shook his head while Hythlodaeus chuckled. “Whatever _are_ we to do with you, Athena?” The only response she granted him was a cheeky grin, one of the few glimpses of what lay behind her mask she would grant them right now.

“Nothing, because we all have jobs to do, ‘Daeus. Take care of yourself,” she hummed, letting Hades take her by the hand and lead her into the Capitol, where she’d keep a calm, gentle smile plastered on her face until she could escape.

—

Athena knew it was something odd to her fellows. That she couldn’t work with Concepts like most, despite being something of a prodigy. No one knew _why_ she couldn’t use it as liberally as others, but it didn’t bother her. Athena actually quite liked doing things by hand, it helped her think. Besides, having so many skills was never a _bad_ thing. (Admittedly, when she had been a child, it’d been a struggle for her. Hades and Hythlodaeus had always had to reassure her that she was just as capable as everyone else, even with her limitations.)

She heard the door shut, felt the brush of familiar, warmer aether over her own as she worked, and smiled. Athena did not pause in her work as she mended navy blue fabric, seeing a white mask placed beside her own red one on the edge of the table in her peripheral vision. “Welcome home,” she hummed.

“I should be saying that to you,” Hythlodaeus snorted, and she could hear the cheeky grin on his face. She could imagine the way his eyes were sparkling with mischief, like rubies glinting in the sun. “You were right, if Hades had seen what kind of a state those are in he would’ve dragged you home with little regard for your duties as members of the Convocation.”

Athena only hummed in response, softening a little when Hythlodaeus pulled her hair from her face, holding it back for her. “Feel free,” she said in response to the unasked question. His glee bled into her senses where their aether mingled, and Athena rolled her eyes. He’d pout when she took her hair down later, but then he’d probably wash it for her anyways. (They both spoiled her to no end, and Athena’d long since stopped trying to stop them. That _didn’t_ , however, keep her and Hythlodaeus from pranking Hades- even if other members of the Convocation got caught in the crossfire of their eternal prank war with little idea who was responsible. It was serious business, and the trio treated it as such.)

They spent some time like that, with him braiding her long hair carefully while she finished mending her coat before moving on to her trousers. Robes weren’t quite the best for a number of the things Athena did, both for her duties as a member of the Convocation and for things she did as herself. What she wore underneath, however, was far more suited to such things. Not to mention she quite enjoyed spoiling her boys in ways that she could using the skills gained. Little trinkets of sentiment, ones she could craft by hand. She’d made them earrings, and a necklace for herself to match. Something she could hide away under her clothes, safer there and less likely to get in the way. Made by hand, despite how intricate they were.

“You’re still a mess, Athena.”

“Then help me remedy that,” she snorted, leaning back in her chair to look up at him with a cheeky grin. Hythlodaeus matched it with one of his own.

—

Hades belatedly realized he _absolutely_ should’ve expected this the moment he didn’t find Hythlodaeus lounging on the couch with a book. Both he and Athena, the gremlins they were, were staring at him in not-at-all concealed amusement, barely keeping from bursting into fits of laughter. Hades removed his mask and stared blankly at it for a moment, blinking at the bright green goop that covered it. “‘Daeus, _you_ are cleaning this. Athena…”

“Can’t help you if you’re all the way over there, Hades,” she teased, sinking a little further into the water of her bath. Hythlodaeus was chuckling as he got up and made his way over to take the goop-covered mask. Sure, they could probably just snap their fingers and will it out of existence, but living with Athena had a way of making you more amenable to doing things the hard way. (Partially because she was still more insecure about her lack of control than she’d like to admit, not that Hades or Hythlodaeus had any intention of bringing it up. It was good to see her confident as she’d become.)

He heaved a sigh and his attire disappeared, very intentionally draping himself over her after he joined her to make her suffer the slimy substance she’d helped cover him in as well, to which she hissed not unlike a cat. Hades smirked, served her right. That smirk didn’t last long, though, because she dunked him under the water and ruffled his hair before joining him under the surface, a devilish grin on her face. Hades shot her an unamused look before resurfacing and taking a deep breath.

Hades was _absolutely_ getting his revenge- they were going to _beg_ before he was done with them tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end approaches, and Athena is sick and tired of how Amaurot handles it. She is sick and tired of staying silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops my hand slipped :))  
> as implied, this takes place soon before the final days of amaurot, and I absolutely poured angst into every damn corner of this one. next time ill have some fluff. or, at the very least, more gremlin stuff! something more light-hearted

The first time the Convocation ever saw Athena angry, _truly_ angry, they were taken aback. Lightning arced over her form, the still air of the room almost seemed to shift, and her rage bled into their senses as her aether spread over the room, feeling not unlike an electric shock.

They had _never_ heard her raise her voice, or growl, but they did _now_. The only person who seemed unsurprised was Emet-Selch, who’s lips were pressed into a thin line even as a sudden gust of wind pushed back his, and everyone else’s, cowls.

“You would have us _abandon_ innocents?! Do you truly believe we will be _spared_ , or are you just too _scared_ to fight?!”

Her voice echoed through the room, shortly thereafter followed by the _slam_ of her hands against the table before her as she stood. “You would ask that I stand by and _watch_ as people I could _help_ are killed? As the world _ends_? No. No, I will _not_ let this go,” Athena snarled, and the rest of the Convocation was _reeling_. Athena was soft-spoken, mild-mannered. She was no _fighter_ , surely. And yet…

“What say _you_ , Emet-Selch?”

His jaw clenched, but the addressed did not reply. Athena’s fury grew more potent, her hands curling into fists, nails biting into her palms. “You, too? After everything, _everything_ we have been through?! You would side with _them_?!”

He looked away. Athena wanted to hit him, she wanted to leave, she wanted something to take out this boiling wrath upon. Just as abruptly as it had filled the room, her aether withdrew, and she stood up straight, mouth setting into a hard line. “Fine, then. Hide away here, praying that Amaurot will not be next. Hide away and watch the world burn around you. I will not partake of your _cowardice_ ,” she spat, voice quiet, low, filled with anger and venom. Somehow, that was worse than her yelling.

Athena turned and left the room, fury boiling at the surface, and the smell of a coming thunderstorm did not fade with her exit.

—

Hythlodaeus already knew something was terribly, terribly wrong. Athena rarely did this, withdrew entirely- and yet, she had, and their apartment smelled strongly of ozone and her rage was plain without reaching out. She had taken off her mask, her robe, changed her clothes to her traveling equipment- and now she was packing. Items were strewn about- a brief scan revealed to him that none of them belonged to Hades. He found it odd- Athena often brought some of their clothing with her when she went traveling, but she also usually gave _warning_.

“Athena?”

“Not now, Hythlodaeus,” she said, and her voice was so _cold_. He began to _fear_ learning what happened. He hadn’t seen her so guarded in _years_ \- not since they were children.

“Athena, please, what’s going on?”

She shoved some of her equipment into her bag in a huff, turning to him, and he took a step back in surprise at the fury in her gaze. “What’s going on? What’s going _on_? The rest of the Convocation are cowards, content to watch the rest of the world _burn_ so long as Amaurot is spared! But it won’t be, we all know it, and their plan for that is to _imbue the star with it’s own will_?! The number of things that could go _wrong_ , Hythlodaeus- I cannot, I _will_ not stand for it!”

He recoiled. Athena would lash out, at times, when she was stressed or upset, but not like this. _Never_ like this. He took a moment to gather himself, pushing back his cowl and setting his mask on the table, searching wild silver eyes with his own shining crimson. “Athena, you do not truly mean to-“

“To _leave_? To do my damndest to help all those people out there? _Yes,_ Hythlodaeus, that is _exactly_ what I intend to do!”

“Athena, you _can’t_ \- it’s too dangerous! You could be _killed_!”

“So what?! I can _help_ , and I’m not letting you, the Convocation, or anyone else stop me! If you side with them like Hades did-“

“You think this is about that?! I want to help those people _just_ as much as you do, but I don’t want to loose _you_ in the process!”

The two stared at each other, breathing heavily. The tension was thick enough that one could cut it with a knife- he wanted to stop her, he wanted to go with her. He wanted- _needed_ to know what happened. Hythlodaeus reached out, his aether brushing against hers, tightly-coiled and bright with her wrath, burning and electric. But she gave him a chance, let him in just enough-

His anger burned just as bright as her own. Hythlodaeus had been, until that _moment_ , seeking out Hades- and just as he’d found him, just tasted his conflict and guilt, he withdrew. (A part of him knew what that would do to the man, but he was too angry to care.)

“I’m coming with you.”

“Hythlodaeus, _no_.”

“Athena,” he began, cupping her cheeks in his hands, leaning down to press his forehead to hers. Crimson, darkened with anger, stared into shining silver. “I’m not leaving you to do this on your own. Hades can deal with the repercussions.”

She closed her eyes, her brow furrowed. Hythlodaeus let her think.

“Not together.”

“What?”

“Leave after me. A few days. If we both go now, Hades will follow us. I have little intention to let him follow me about like a lost puppy, begging for forgiveness.”

Hythlodaeus closed his eyes as her hands came to rest over his, and he took them in his own. They were smaller, slimmer, cooler, but her fingers were calloused from all the years of working with her hands.

“Alright.”

—

When Hades managed to return, his heart heavy with the weight of his guilt and fear and conflict, he returned to a complete mess. Fresh panic surged forth and gripped his mind as he looked around- the candles weren’t lit, Athena’s things were strewn about along with his own and Hythlodaeus’.

The sound of a throat clearing snapped him back to the real world and he looked up, pale gold meeting vibrant crimson, desperately hoping his worst fears weren’t true. Hythlodaeus had a hard expression, his eyes cold, and Hades felt panic clawing up his throat as he half-ran past him, bursting into their room.

Her equipment. Some of her clothes. Her bag.

Athena was gone.

His hands shook- why, why, _why_ hadn’t he said anything?! Why had he just let her go, why hadn’t he gone after her- was it all because of his _fear_?! Bile burned at the back of his throat and hot tears welled at the corners of his eyes. Hades barely made it to the bathroom before he vomited, absentmindedly tossing his mask to the side in the process, and he _knew_ Hythlodaeus could hear.

Hythlodaeus could _hear_ him, but he did not come to help. He did not reach out. Panic and fear grew more potent. He slowly got up, leaning against the wall, his entire body shaking. And then everything just- stopped.

Her necklace. Athena’s necklace was on the counter, glinting in the light. Hades went still. His heart plummeted, everything was cold- despair welled up, all-consuming, and the tears began to fall. He felt himself breaking, his heart rending itself- she was gone. She was gone, and he-

He fell to the floor again, breath coming in quick, short bursts. It was all _too much_ , his throat tightening as a broken sob escaped. Again, again, again- why, why had he just let her go, why hadn’t he thought to come when Hythlodaeus withdrew just as he was- why hadn’t he sided with her? Why, why did he keep _failing_ the people he loved the most?

Hythlodaeus clenched his jaw, nails biting into his skin, eyes shut firmly. He was still angry, but his heart was breaking, listening to Hades sob. After a moment longer, he steeled his resolve.

Seeing Hades crying on the floor, clutching at his chest, and clearly struggling to breathe hurt more than he expected.

It took everything, everything he had to keep from entering the room and holding him close. It took every shred of self-control he had to turn and walk away, even as his heart tore itself apart in his chest with anger and pain and regret and guilt-

Hythlodaeus did not deny himself the silent tears that rolled down his cheeks.

—

Only after she was alone, after she had left Amaurot behind, did Athena let herself cry. The weight of Hades not supporting her in this- of him remaining _silent_ -

She pressed herself against a tree and covered her mouth to stifle a sob. She wanted, so, so desperately, to go back, to make up with him, but it was- it was too _late_ for apologies. It was too late to turn back, no matter where this road took her. (She remembered, when they were children, and he was still unaware of how sensitive she was with even the smallest of comments. It had taken him weeks, once, to apologize- and he only did so _after_ Hythlodaeus had gone to him, had yelled and ranted and made it incredibly clear how much it hurt her. If only it was that easy, now. If only the problem was that small.)

As Athena looked back towards the spires of Amaurot, she wondered. She wondered if she made the right choice.

(If she had known what was to come, if she had known how things would turn out, she would’ve done so, so many things differently.)

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to a server of gremlins for enabling me to literally no end! its only gonna get worse from here, folks


End file.
